This blog originally appeared at TRUTHOUT.
“This law fails to protect children and forces schools to put them in danger,” an LGBTQ advocate stated.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee joined fellow governors at a press conference along the Rio Grande at the U.S.-Mexico border to discuss Operation Lone Star and border concerns on February 4, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Honest, paywall-free news is hard to find. Support our fearless and independent journalism by making a donation of any size.
Due to a recently enacted law by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R), educators in the state must now disclose transgender students to their parents. Senate Bill 1810 mandates that schools inform parents if their child wishes to be addressed by a name or pronouns different from those on school records.
“Forcing teachers to out trans kids to their parents not only breaches the trust students have with their teachers but also puts them in potentially dangerous and harmful situations,” LGBTQ legislative researcher Allison Chapman told Truthout.
Under this law, parents who believe they or their child has been affected by a violation can sue the school for damages and injunctive relief.
“We have a responsibility and an obligation to make sure schools are safe for children to learn in, and that includes ensuring their identities are welcomed and supported,” said Rep. Justin J. Pearson (D), adding that the bill is dangerous.
Chapman emphasized, “This law fails to protect children, and schools should not be compelled to jeopardize their safety.”
The ACLU has cautioned that outing transgender students can expose them to potential harm. “Forced outing bills aren’t about parents’ rights; they’re designed to harm trans students,” explained Harper Seldin, a staff attorney at the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project, in 2023.
Seldin highlighted that numerous transgender youths encounter parental rejection upon revealing their gender identity. A 2022 survey by the Trevor Project revealed that only 32 percent of transgender and nonbinary youths felt their home provided a supportive and gender-affirming environment.
The data further indicates that transgender individuals face an increased risk of abuse from their immediate family members because of their gender identity. As a result, trans youth are overrepresented in foster care facilities, juvenile detention centers, and homeless shelters. These higher rates of familial rejection and abuse significantly increase the likelihood of experiencing suicidal thoughts, substance misuse, and depression.
The data further indicates that transgender individuals face an increased risk of abuse from their immediate family members because of their gender identity. As a result, trans youth are overrepresented in foster care facilities, juvenile detention centers, and homeless shelters. These higher rates of familial rejection and abuse significantly increase the likelihood of experiencing suicidal thoughts, substance misuse, and depression.
Seldin emphasized that bills mandating the outing of transgender students are intended to inflict harm upon them and, consequently, affect everyone negatively. “Such laws do not strengthen families; instead, they inflict harm on children, particularly transgender youth,” Seldin stated.
Senate Bill 1810 is among 40 anti-LGBTQ bills brought forward in Tennessee during this legislative session, with seven of them already enacted into law. Nationwide, over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills have been introduced during this session.
fleeredstates.blog 